Stout Boots

Gaining confidence in our "wrong side" driving skills on Islay in March 2017, we nudged our little red Volkswagen rental from Ballygrant on a single track road toward Dun Nosebridge.

The curious name is said to have derived from "knaus-borg" (roughly translated as "fort on the crag" in the Old Norse language of Viking invaders).  An alternative Norse phrase is also offered--"hnaus bog"--which means turf fort.  Both descriptions are apropos.  

Dun Nosebridge's age, however, is many centuries (perhaps two thousand years) older than the Viking era.  It is widely thought to be an Iron Age construction. "Thought" is here in quotes because, like so many ancient sites in west Scotland, Dun Nosebridge has also not been systematically excavated.

March 22, 2017  Dun Nosebridge fortified hilltop; rock construction now turf covered

From its heights, Dun Nosebridge commands the upper reaches of River Laggan on Islay, and most importantly the relatively rich river bottom agricultural grounds. The length of Kintyre Peninsula is visible from the top of the dun, as well as the sea approaches to the south.  [Note:  this Easter we will be on Kintyre, viewing Islay in reverse.] 

March 22, 2017  Straight wall foundation atop Dun Nosebridge scarp overlooking River Laggan.
North (or Irish) Channel and Kintyre Peninsula visible in left background.

Travel guide descriptions notwithstanding, the Dun Nosebridge path head was difficult to spot, assuming one is trying to follow the rules of courtesy regarding parking.  Most accounts say a "parking area" exists at the Mulindry cottages just south of the bridge over River Laggan.  We did not see one, at least not one that looked to be public and more importantly...permissible.  We envisioned "car park" signage, given what we felt was surely a significant historical site.  There was none.   

We drove past the path head at Mulindry Bridge.  It was obvious once we drove up from the River Laggan bottomland woods and onto the rough grasslands above that we missed our mark. That said, in consolation, our errant view of Loch Indaal from the flanks of Druim Buidhe's grasslands was worth the miss.  

Below us to the west by about 180 feet in elevation lay Loch Indaal, the great bay which nearly divides Islay in half.  The view took in Bowmore, Islay's "capital" on the eastern shore of Loch Indaal, and Bridgend at the bay's inland head.

March 22, 2017  Mulindry Bridge; cottages and schoolhouse in background

As luck had it, a sprightly elderly gentleman was out for his walk at the same time we intended to turn around on the single track road and make another pass in search of the supposed "parking area".  In the U.K., unlike here in America, walking is something of a national pass time.  Perhaps more widely practiced than "birding," it is highly doubtful that recreational walking in the U.K. is nearly as ardent...as we discovered while on the single track through the Loch Gruinart Nature Reserve.  Again, for safety's sake, do not get between a "birder's" optics and the birds.

I mention recreational walking by way of an encouragement.  It would profit older American adults immensely to get up out of their recliners, peel their minds out the television set and take a daily walk, even if only a mile.  Good for the body, good for the spirit...and good for a fresh outlook on life.

In any case, violating all known male protocol (as dear Darla emphasized with relish...several times), I actually stopped and asked directions from the gentleman, though I much rather prefer the term "sought clarification".  The gentleman was more than hospitable.  He inquired as to whether we had a map.  While he did not vocalize it, I could see the question turning over in his mind--"How could you possibly miss it?"

In defense of our orienteering, when we originally drove past where the gentleman recommended that we park, we had assumed parking was not permitted there.  An explanation is required.  Single track means "one car wide".  These tracks are more or less paved, or graveled in varying degrees, with occasional pullouts to allow oncoming traffic to pass or for following traffic (tailgaters) to overtake.  This is especially so at approaches to single lane bridges like that found at Mulindry. 

The gentleman whose walk we interrupted said it would be fine to park in what only amounted to a wide spot in the single track road just north of Mulindry Bridge--in other words, the pullout.  So parking as we did, at the gentleman's suggestion, may not have been exactly legal.

Admittedly, hindering traffic was perhaps not a serious concern.  Beyond the jaunty gentleman and ourselves, no one else was out or about.  We took him at his word, and trusted that our little red Volkswagen would not be towed off whilst we walked to the ancient fort.

March 22, 2017  Mulindry cottages center right.
Dun path at base of Leac na Dubharaiche dark flat slope woods, at right

The gentleman then turned his concerns to whether we were properly shod.  "It's boggy.  You will need 'wellies' or stout boots."  We assured the gentleman that we had both an Ordnance Survey and Keene's waterproof boots (US made).   Here, a compliment should be extended to Keene's (an Oregon cobbler).  Keene boots are solid and relatively watertight.  In our two excursions to Scotland and Hadrian's Wall in North England over sopping muddy paths, our Keene's have served us well.

March 22, 2017  Upper Leac na Dubharaiche woods at Dun Nosebridge

The gentleman's concern about our footwear was well-placed.  The path to Dun Nosebridge in the river bottom woods and pastures, qualifies as a "mire" along much of its route.  Slippery and with ankle deep pools of water that are practically unavoidable.  

After some experimentation, we found it preferable to simply resign oneself and ford through the mud and water rather than try to balance on spongy soft, narrow peaty edges to the pools...and inevitably still ending up in the mire.  "Too clever by half" that might called.  So, resign to ford the pools from the start; it will at least grant a form of "controlled entry".  

(As a side note, I picked this day, of all days, to forget my gaiters.  My insignificant oversight has also been mentioned, numerous times, with equal relish by my charming wife ever since.)

Edward Dwelly's Gaelic Dictionary (digitized in 2007)

Some words are warranted on these woods.  Because Scots can take umbrage to these woods being called "scrub," I therefore refer to them as oak-hazel woodlands.

The Gaelic term--Leac na Dubharaiche--for the woodland at Mulindry Bridge is something of an etymological puzzle.  

Online translations (of suspect accuracy) say the term means "slab of the debtor"...which does not exactly make sense for a geographic place name of a riparian woodland. Being curious, I consulted Dwelly's Gaelic dictionary (published in 1918).  

Dwelly improved upon the earlier monumental Gaelic pronunciation dictionary by Neil McAlpine in 1831.  (Mentioned in our article on Kilchoman.)  Dwelly illustrated, for example, Scottish wildlife and botanicals...an immense help when trying to determine plants described in Gaelic. 

Here's my stab at a translation.  "Leac" evidently is derived from Old Irish, though it could also be from Norse.  Roughly, it means declivity, in this instance "a flat downward slope".  

The Gaelic mouthful--na Dubharaiche--approximately translates to "shaded" or "darkened" with the understanding that the shade is caused by the woods.  Hence, Leac na Dubharaiche roughly may be interpreted as:  "dark woods on the low flat slope"...which is an apt description. 

For our tale, the important element is--shade.  Hiking wise, shade normally translates into wet...if such a distinction is even made in humid Scotland these days.  

Regardless, the dark and lush green "dwarf woods" were interesting, a curiosity at least.    This is called a "Celtic Rainforest" and with good reason.  Moss, lichens and ferns (some growing from the trees themselves) were abundant throughout.  One can easily see how story tales of haunted woods developed...and how the young would buy into them. 

March 22, 2017  Leac na Dubharaiche (Sessile Oak-Atlantic Hazel woods) at Dun Nosebridge

Atlantic Hazel (Corylus avellana) is widely distributed on the western seaboard of the U.K.  Formerlly, it was even more so.  Pollen analysis (palynology that is called) in some locations in Scotland suggest that hazel dominated in pure stands for thousands of years.  Hazel is a pioneer species, among the first woody plants to colonize the Hebrides and west Scotland following the retreat of the Ice Age some 11,600 years ago. 

March 22, 2017  Leac na Dubharaiche along River Laggan at Dun Nosebridge

As for its age, hazel is a multi-stemmed "shrub".  Thus, its lifespan is not determined by a single stem.  When one stems dies, the plant replaces it with others.  Because of that, the remnant shaded flat lower slope stand with no dominant over story at Dun Nosebridge may in fact be among the oldest woodlands in Scotland...thousands of years in continuous presence.  

Hazel is associated with very early human habitation.  As the climate changed to the wetter conditions found today, peat covered the majority of former hazel woodlands.  On Islay, for example, hazel stumps found beneath the peat have been dated to 7,800 years ago.  

Archeology has dated the earliest human presence on Islay at around 12,000 years ago, from a flint point recovered at a Mesolithic hunting camp at Rubha Port an t-Seilich (north of Dun Nosebridge).  In 2009, at Airigh Ghuaidhre (only two miles northwest of Dun Nosebridge), thousands of scattered stone artifacts, including over 30 stone bladed items, were uncovered along with bone fragments, red deer antler, animal horn and charred hazelnut shells...enough to permit radiocarbon dating of the site (3,350 B.C.)

March 22, 2017  River Laggan from Dun Nosebridge at edge of scarp

Considered a transitional cultural stage between the Late Mesolithic and the Neolithic, Airigh Ghuaidhre is an important site, it has attracted active archeological excavation.  Perhaps Dun Nosebridge will, in time, be formally excavated as well.  

Thus far, it has been determined that early human occupation of this general area was  more extensive than previously thought. Leac na Dubharaiche and the several smaller relict woodlands along the River Laggan were intimately associated with that early human habitation. 

Thus, Dun Nosebridge cannot be separated from the "dark dwarf woods" below it. They are an integral part of it. They represent a permanence in one sense, and yet the temporal as well.

Over the course of human occupation on Islay, the climate began to change, to a wetter oceanic climate.  In response, Scotland's habitats also changed.  In many cases, woods were altogether replaced by rough grasslands.  

Where woods prevailed, the species composition changed.  For example, Scots pine began to dominate in the north Highlands.  Oak predominated in the Lowlands.  And of course the ever onward march of all-engulfing peat everywhere.

By the Late Neolithic, Scotland's forest cover had diminished to perhaps 10%.  Islay, however, was something of the contrarian.  It retained substantially greater wooded tracts.  In the Late Neolithic as much as three-fourths of Islay was in woodland, and much of that hazel.  Further, despite subsequent  exploitation by the metal axe, through the Bronze Age, perhaps as much as a third of Islay remained woodland covered.  This would have been the condition, roughly speaking, when Dun Nosebridge was built. 

March 22, 2017  Beinn Bheigier (491 meters); turf covered wall of Dun Nosebridge lower right

Dun Nosebridge (its Viking derived place name notwithstanding) is by any measure extremely old...long in existence before any Norsemen ever showed up below its ramparts.  

Dun Nosebridge, oversaw the nearby hazel woodlands below it, and protected the approach to the upper River Laggan reaches into what is known by the Illeach (natives of Islay) as "Islay's Great Glen". 

March 22, 2017  View from atop Dun Nosebridge of the upper reaches of River Laggan

As a defensive fortification, Dun Nosebridge is a substantial structure.  It has an unusual employment of tiered ditches for its defense. 

March 22, 2017  Atop Dun Nosebridge, two upper tiered ditch and wall defenses

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Let there be no doubt, the thing is steep.  Called "sub-rectangular" by archeologists, actually laymen would say it is "D" shaped.  

The straight line is abutted to the top of what is a nearly shear scarp.  The concentric stacked tiers of ditches defended the direction from Mulindry Bridge, our approach to the site...the most logical line of attack.

March 22, 2017  Dun Nosebridge upper wall, viewed below the top tier ditch defense

Our ground level photos cannot possibly do the site justice.  Therefore, I borrow a clipped aerial image from Canmore and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland.

Aerial view of Dun Nosebridge; image from Canmore (2006)